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BIUYULE SKIRT.

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BICYCLE SKIRT.

Patented Sept. 1, 1896.

U ITED STATES PATENT Prion.

OATHARINE VAN RENSSELAER BERRY, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BICYCLE-SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 567,069, dated September 1, 1896. Application filed June 22, 1896. Serial No. 596,515- (No model.)

T0 60% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CATHARINE VAN RENs- SELAER BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dress-Skirts for Bicycle-Riders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a dress-skirt for bicycle-riders which shall be capable of being shortened or drawn up, like the skirts of the bicycle-costumes used by ladies, or lengthened to correspond substantially with the skirt of a street-dress or walking-costume, the invention being such that either adjustment can be made in a moment without difficulty, without the use of pins, and without requiring that the wearer retire from the presence of other persons, either adj ustment being made Without the slightest exposure or indelicacy, and so quickly that it is completely effected before the attention of observers and bystanders could be attracted.

It is my purpose, in other words, to provide a dress-skirt capable of contraction and extension in length, whereby it may be used as the skirt of a golf, tennis, or bicycle'costume or of a street-dress, the transformation being extremely simple and accomplished in a moment, the means by which it is efiected being wholly concealed.

The invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts now to be described, and then particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which conclude this specification. I

For the purposes of the following description reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the covering-piece. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the skirt lengthened, the coveringpiece in Fig. 1 being removed. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the short skirt and covering-piece in use, the ends of the latter being partly turned back. Fig. 4: is a like view showing the lengthened skirt, part of the covering-piece being broken away. Fig. 5 is a view of the running tape removed from the open hem.

The reference-numeral 1 in said drawings indicates a dress-skirt made of any suitable fabric preferred and having such variations in cut and trimming as may express the personal taste of the wearer. For the purposes of this invention a skirt which is not too full, and comparatively plain in cut and trimming, will be generally preferable.

The length of the skirt is that adopted in the tennis, golf, and bicycle costumes worn by ladies, in which the hem is six inches or thereabout from the ground, so as to leave the lower extremities entirely free and unimpeded, avoid all danger of tripping, and hang clear of the sprocket-gearing of the bicycle as well as the pedals. It is provided with a band 2, upon which is an open hem 3, provided with a running tape 4, the two ends of which extend beyond the ends of the hem 3, and are provided, respectively, with a hook 5 and eye 6. The ends of the band 2 are also furnished with suitable fastenings, such as a hook and eye 7 and 8, to enable the band to be secured around the waist of the wearer. The skirt is provided with the ordinary placket 9, and may have one or more pockets 10. The placket has hooks and eyes to keep it closed, as is usual in dress-skirts.

Upon the band 2 is a yoke 12,.which I prefer to call a skirt extension. From its attachment to the band 2 to a band 13 upon its edge it is substantially equal in length to the difference between the length of the short skirt and that of the extended or lengthened skirt.

The band 13 is provided at its ends with suitable fastenings, such as a hook and eye 14 and 15. At the point which lies in line with the center of the back a loop 16 of suitable strength is attached to said band 13, and in the same line a fastening 17 is applied to the band 2 to sustain this portion of the shortened skirt. The yoke 12 is open upon a line corresponding with or forming a continuance of the placket 9.

The running tape 4 is provided at some distance from one end witha hook or other fastening 19, which is covered over and concealed by a band-or cover-piece 18. Ata suitable distance from the other end of said tape is attached an eye 20 upon the other part of the running tape 4. The object of placing hook 19 under a band or cover-piece 18 is to enable the tape to be drawn into and out of the open hem 3 without said hook catching in the threads and causing rapid wear of the hem, while at the same time both the hook and eye are readily accessible and may be engaged with each other by opening said covering-pockets. The fastenings 19 and 20 are secured to the tape 4 at such points that when the skirt is shortened they can be engaged by drawing the tape suitably tight around the waist. These fastenings are thus auxiliary to the hook 5 and eye 6 upon the ends of the open hem 3, which overlaps the band 2. I usually provide a hook and eye 7 and 8 of more than ordinary strength at the upper end of the placket 9, where they may be secured to the ends of the band 2. As more than ordinary strain is liable to be imposed upon the band of the short skirt, the division of this strain among the separate fastenings described will avoid the danger of frequent rupture which occurs often when the entire strain is thrown upon a single fastening only.

In order to conceal the yoke 12, which is usually made of thin material, such as linen, silk, percaline, or other fabric, which will readily fold in smaller compass than the skirt, I provide a yoke-shaped covering-piece 23 of such form that it may, when applied to the waist of the person wearing the skirt, entirely conceal the said yoke 12. The covering-piece is of the same material as the skirt, though other fabrics may be used, if preferred. It is suitably lined and may be provided with sectional inner attachments 24, having elastic stays to give the proper set to the covering-piece. It is provided at its ends with suitable fastenings, such as hooks and eyes 25 and 26, and a ribbon, belt, or other suitable trimming may be applied or loosely caught to the upper edge. When worn, it has a close resemblance to the skirt of a basque or short jacket.

To provide convenient access to the pocket 10, when the skirt is worn short, the coveringpiece is divided transversely in the line 28, which coincides with the opening to the pocket,and the divided parts are connected by a rowof hooks and eyes 29 set at suitably short intervals. Trimming 30,0f anysuitable kind, is applied along the line of division and along the ends connected by hooks and eyes 25 and 26. When the skirt is worn long, these trimmings will be continuous with the similar trimmings along the pocket-opening and the placket.

The hook and eye 5 and 6, at the extremities of the running tape 4, are used to permitthe necessary expansion of the skirt when it is worn long, as in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. ning tape is drawn closely around the waist, thereby gathering the skirt and reducing it to the waist-measurement of the person wearing it. This adjustment draws the running tape out of the open hem 3 far enough to enable the hook and eye 19 and 20 to be con- \Vhen the skirt is worn short, the runnected together, whereby the gathers are held, as in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

IVhen complete, the yoke-shaped covering piece may be stitched at its upper edge to the band 13, so that the whole constitutes a single garment or article of apparel.

That I claim is 1. A bicycle-golf-tennis garment, consisting of a short skirt having a yoke at its upper edge portion, the yoke and short skirt having a placket and means for fastening the garment about the waist of the wearer, and a running tape arranged around the upper portion of the short skirt in juxtaposition to the lower edge of the yoke for the purpose of gathering the short skirt up to the top portion of the yoke and for enlarging the top portion of the short skirt when it is lowered to form a walking-dress, substantially as described.

2. A bicycle-golf-tennis garment, consisting of a short skirt having a yoke at its upper edge portion, the yoke and skirt having a placket and means for fastening the garment about the waist of the wearer, a running tape arranged around the upper portion of the short skirt in juxtaposition to the lower edge of the yoke for the purpose of gathering the short skirt up to the top portion of the yoke and for enlarging the top portion of the short skirt when it is lowered to form a walkingdress, and a covering-piece adapted to encircle and conceal the yoke and having means for securing it in position on the wearer, substantially as described.

8. A bicycle-golf-tennis garment, consisting of a short skirt having a yoke at its upper edge portion, the yoke and skirt having a placket and means for fastening the garment about the waist of the wearer, and a running tape arranged around the upper portion of the short skirt in juxtaposition to the lower edge of the yoke and provided with fastening devices at its ends and also at points remote from its ends, for the purpose of gathering the short skirt up to the top portion of the yoke and for enlarging the top portion of the short skirt when it is lowered to form a walking-dress, substantially as described.

4. A bicycle-golf-tennis garment, consisting of a short skirt having a yoke at its upper edge portion, the yoke and skirt having a placket and means for fastening the garment about the waist of the wearer, and a running tape arranged around the upper portion of the short skirt in juxtaposition to the lower edge of the yoke and provided with hooks and eyes at its ends and at points remote from its ends, and a cover-piece on the tape for concealing the hook which is remote from the end of the tape, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GA'lHAli-INE VAN RENSSELAER BERRY. \Vitnesses:

JAMES L. NORRIS,

THos. A. GREEN. 

